Method of treating vegetable matters.



No. 673,069. Patented Apr. 30, l90l.

H. W. WTLEY.

METHOD OF TREATING VEGETABLE MATTERS.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1898.)

um Model.)

In: warns PETERS 00.. mord'umc" wasnmcfou o. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY W. WILEY, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO THE MARSDEN COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

METHOD OF TREATING VEGETABLE MATTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,069, dated April30, 1901-.

Application filed February 21, 1898. serial No. 671,177. (No'specimens.)

To all whom it may concern: any purpose whatever and is applicable to .3

Be it knownthat I, HARVEY W. WILEY, a the grain as well as to the stalk.When the citizen of the United States, residing in the final product isto be used for cattle-food or city of Washington, District of Columbia,for the manufacture of alcohol, it is not nec- 5 have invented certainnew and useful Imessaryto gather the ears; but they may be provements inMethods of Treating Vegeta incorporated with the other preserved par- 55 ble Matters, of which the following is a speciticles, and will thusretain their maximum fication. I value as food or as a source ofalcohol. When Attempts have been made from time to the object is toprepare cattle-food or even [0 time to preserve vegetable matters bydesicto make alcohol, it is not advisable to remove eating or treatingwith preservative subthe blades of the stalks or even the husks ofstances, &c.; but in most, if not all, instances the ears beforesubmitting the harvested mathe flavor, color, or odor is destroyed inwhole terials to the next process. The stalks are or in part andvaluable qualities are impaired next subjected in any suitable apparatusto 15 or lost. ---To a great extent this results from a shreddingprocess, by which'they are rethe fact that in many modes of treatmentthe duced to as fine a state of subdivision as dewater is completelyevaporated or expressed. sirable. Preferably the comminution is car- Ihave discovered that it is possible to preried on until the particlesare extremely fine. serve the saccharine and other valuable prop- Thisproduct I term the pulp. The pulp 2o erties of vegetable matters and toalso preis delivered to a sterilizing apparatus so conserve the odor,color, and flavor by first sterilstruoted as to keep the whole mass fora sufo izing the material, (properly comminuted, ficient length of timeat or near a temperature '7 when necessary,) but without desiccation, of212-Fahrenheit. I preferfor this purpose and then compressing the massinto a block, to deliver the pulp on an endless apron of 25 layer, orbale, in which the particles are held metalor other suitable material,by which it so intimately together as not to be affected is carried intoa closed chamber heated by deleteriously by germs. I steam-pipes orotherwise. In passing through I may carry out myinvention in connectionthis chamber a portion of the moisture is volawith many vegetableproductsas Indian tilized and may be conducted away by a our- 30 corn,sorghum, and various fruits and vegerent of air. Since the air carriesgerms which 7 tables, as potatoes, apples, or beans, and with mightescape destruction in rapidly passing 8o cereals or with flour made fromcereals. through the drier, I prefer to use air heated In theaccompanyifig drawing the figure is to a temperature of boiling waterfor this pura vertical sectional view of one form of appose. Thissterilized airis heated by passing 5 paratus by means of which theinvention may over a series of steam-coils or by any other be carriedout. I convenient method, and is forced into the In the treatment ofsuch vegetable matters sterilizing-oven by a blower or other con-' asthe stalks of Indian corn, sorghum, or venient means. The pulp shouldremain in sugar-cane the period of harvest is preferably the sterilizerlong enough to secure the de- 40 selected when the sugar contenti s'most abun struction of such germs as would promote dedant; in the caseof cereals at the time of composition, and this is accomplished. as soonharvesting the ears for the green-corn market as every part hasapproximated the temperaor at a slightly-later period when the starchture of boiling water. The form of the sterin the grains is hard. If theears are harilizing oven, the temperature of the steam- 5 vested at thistime and cured in small piles, coils, and the rate of motion ofthe'endless the Weight is greater and the grains fuller apron willdetermine this point. For the sake than when allowed to become fully dryon the of economy of heat this part of the process stalk. Myprocess-does not therefore intershould not be continued longer than isnecfere with the saving of the crop of grain for essary to securecomplete sterilization; and

it should also secure the evaporation of so much moisture that none willbe expelled by subsequent pressure. After sterilization the pulp is notabsolutely dry, but retains sufli- -cient moisture to preserve thecolor, odor, and

flavor of the material and to be compacted under pressure. In order tosecure the compression in a sterilized atmosphere, and thus avoidthe'entrance of any germs, the sterilized pulp is next delivered to acompressor, preferably contained in a chamber at a temperature ofboiling water or provided with an interior steam service which maintainsthose parts of it coming in contact with the hot pulp approximately atthe temperature of boiling water, and is thereby compressed orconsolidated into blocks, bales, or layers of suitable form and size.

In the treatment of cereals com minution is not absolutely necessary, asthe grains partially dried after sterilization (which destroys allsurface germs) may be directly compressed, thereby destroying any eggsof insects or other organisms or germs that may be on the insideportions of the grains, the pressure compacting the mass.

In treating sugar-cane to make sugar it is common to cut off and throwaway the upper portion, which contains so large a proportion of glucosethat it interferes with the crystallization of the sugar. In this wayone-fifth or one-sixth of the total weight of the cane is wasted. Thediscarded material may be utilized as above described, or the entirestalk can be treated and preserved to be used for making alcohol orcattle-food.

Since many non-fibrous food products, like potatoes, apples, beans, &c.,would lose particles from their surfaces after being pressed intoblocks, I in some cases place in the press sterilized cotton or othercloth large enough to cover the mass, and which forms a protection to itwhen the blocks or bales are removed from the press. This cloth alsotends to prevent the ingress of germs or spores from the air. Foodmaterials prepared in this Way occupy the smallest possible space, andare thus particularly'well suited for provisioning ships, mining andlumber camps, and for army-rations. The masses of food matter beingthoroughly sterilized are free from any danger of fermentation or decay.When ready for use,they are comminuted and mixed with water or otherappropriate liquid, and the original flavor of the material is at oncerestored. Another step which is often advantageous consists insubjecting the surface of each hale or block to a final sterilizationand superficial drying. This is accomplished by placing them for a fewmoments in a chamber heated to a sterilizing temperature. The surface isthus dried and resterilized. I have found that the sterilized and driedfiber of Indian-corn stalks, sorghum, &c., or the cotton covering ofpotatoes, apples, or other nonfibrous materials has the same propertiesas are possessed by cotton of being able to stop the passage of germsthrough them. The bales of sterilized pulp prepared as above are thussurrounded with ,a dried sterilized layer of cellulose andcellulose-like material, which interposes a complete barrier to theentrance of fermentative germs to the more moist sterilized material ofthe interior. The pulp, therefore, keeps perfectly fresh for anindefinite time and is ready for use for any of the purposes above namedor for similar purposes whenever the retaining-bands or integuments arecut.

I am aware that attempts have been made to produce compressed cakes ofbran,oil-cake, tanbark, cotton, or other materials by heating andsubsequently pressing said materials; but in no case has the heatingbeen effected in a manner to secure entire sterilization, and thepressure has to be efli'ected in apparatus unsterilized or incapable ofpreventing the entrance of germs, while in my process the pressure iseffected in a sterilized atmosphere and in a sterilized apparatus.Moreover, in said old processes the material is dried,which deprives thesame of its flavor, which can never be restored, while my processinsures sufiicient moisture to preserve the flavor.

I claim l. The method of treating vegetable products, which consists incompletely sterilizing the material without causing evaporation of allthe moisture therefrom, compressing the moist and sterilized productinto, a compact mass in a sterilized atmosphere, and making the surfacesof the compressed mass proof against the entrance of fermentative germs,substantially as described.

2. The method of treating vegetable products, which consists inthoroughly sterilizing the material without causing evaporation of allthe moisture therefrom, and compressing the moist and sterilizedresulting material into a compact mass while in a sterilizing medium,substantially as described.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

I HARVEY \V. WILEY.

\Vitnesses:

G. L. SPENCER, M. S. TIDD.

